My Menopause Blog: Hot Food, Hot Flash

The Mapleton Organic Ice Cream line was finally short enough for me to want to join it. In front of me was my friend Pat, beat red and wild eyed.

Here's our conversation...more or less.

Pat turns and looks at me. There's no polite preamble. She just launches right in.

Pat: I'm having a hot flash. I don't even want ice cream. I just need to cool down. I just ate some curry. Thought I was going to explode. The woman beside me told me that hot, spicy food can bring on hot flashes. I've been in peri-menopause for 6 years now and I didn't know that. For Gawd sake, why didn't I know that?

Me: Did you know that it's Menopause Awareness Month?

Pat: No. I didn't know that either. Geez, why don't I know these things? Are they telling women that hot foods trigger hot flashes? They should be telling women that hot foods trigger hot flashes.

Just in case 'they' don't mention the hot spicy food correlation, I will. Your hot flashes may be triggered by eating spicy, hot food and drinking caffeine (coffee/tea/soft drinks) and booze.

Remedy: Apply ice cream.

Sue Richards